1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus well suited for use with a system adapted chiefly for saving and communicating medical image information and, more particularly, to an image processing apparatus for editing and storing image information including moving-image information.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, by saving and communicating medical image information in digital form, efficient storage and utilization of the medical information has been put into practice. With such a system, a data base is built for digital images. A digital image is retrieved from the data base and then displayed on a display for diagnosis. In particular, serial moving images, such as blood-vessel contrasted images, are saved as a large number of still images, and the still images are serially reproduced to display the moving images.
FIG. 1 shows an example of an arrangement of the picture archiving and communication system (abbreviated as "PACS" hereinafter) used mainly for custody and communication of medical images.
The PACS comprises modalities (image acquiring equipment) IEl - IEm, data bases MDBl - MDBm for modalities IEl - IEm, network interface units NIU, a star coupler SC, a network data base DB, a work station WS and a data base WDB for work station WS.
Each of modalities IEl - IEm may be comprised of an existing medical imaging apparatus, such as an X-ray imaging device, a magnetic-resonance imaging apparatus or an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. A series of images (diagnostic images of a subject under examination) acquired by modalities IEl - IEm are stored in data bases MDBl - MDBm, respectively. A star network is formed with star coupler SC at its center, and image data transfers are performed through the star network. Work station WS is equipped with a CRT display and an operator console. Images specified on the console are transferred from modality data bases MDBl - MDBm to work station data base WDB and are appropriately displayed on the CRT display of work station WS. An examination of these images is performed by a doctor at work station.
Usually, all the diagnostic images of a patient are used for examination. A series of the diagnostic images may include images to be saved and images which need not be saved. That is, when, like the moving images as described above, a plurality of still images are used for an examination, there is a good possibility that all the still images need not be saved. In this case, therefore, only the images considered to be worthy of saving by the doctor are transferred from work station data base WDB to network data base DB for storage therein.
Moving images contain a vast quantity of data in contrast to a usual still image. For example, if an image of 512.times.512.times.12 bits is acquired for 8 seconds at a rate of 30 frames per second, then the data quantity will amount to 90 Mbits. On the other hand, even if a still image on an X-ray film is digitized in the form of 2048.times.2048.times.12 bits, the data quantity is as little as 6 Mbits. Thus, when moving images are to be saved in digital form, it is desirable to save only the necessary images.
In present circumstances, the determination of images to be saved among moving images relies upon human judgement.
To determine a range of images to be saved, an operator, such as a photographic engineer or a doctor, actually displays moving images on a CRT display and confirms, while watching the display, image numbers of the first and final ones of the moving images to be saved. Among images IMG, those which are to be saved can be specified by designating the first image IMG.sub.i and the number of the following images or the first image IMGi and the final image IMGi+j as shown in FIG. 2.
As described above, the operation of selecting images to be saved among all the images acquired imposes a heavy burden on the operator especially when there are many images to be handled.